Did not love this. Parts were excellent and learning about Vietnam was very eye-opening. But man- so much happened to the MC that is was overkill.

The Women by Kristin Hannah is a sweeping saga about one nurse's experience in Vietnam. Frankie McGrath wants something more than glittering parties and becoming exactly what her parents expect her to be, a wife and a mother. On one wall in her parents' lavish home, every soldier in the family appears in a photograph or portrait. Frankie wants to be on that wall and not as a bride. She wants to join up just like her brother Finley has done and serve as a nurse. It's a noble thing to do and feels like a calling, so, after a few false starts, she flies to Vietnam and that's when her life begins amid the chaos of war and intense aftermath when she must pick up the pieces.

If you ever wished to learn more about Vietnam and a woman's experiences in the war, this book has it all. At times, the scenes where Frankie tends to fallen soldiers and Vietnam residents caught in the middle of the Vietcong and American conflicts are incredibly harrowing. These scenes are not for the faint of heart, but they capture the overwhelming barbarity of the injuries that soldiers sustained. It paints a striking and realistic picture of what was going on in the sometimes primitive medical facilities--this is no MASH, the TV show from the 1970s and 1980s. It's more like China Beach but much more graphic. The pace feels hectic and hopeless, and you're right there with Frankie.

Another thing I realized--and this is a major part of the book--there were women in Vietnam. Many served in multiple ways, but no one seems to believe Frankie and the other women who returned and needed support from other vets and therapists to get over or, at least, come to terms with their PTSD and other difficult to shake feelings. It was beyond frustrating to hear how they were rejected by their own comrades. It was as daunting and aggravating as hearing about how soldiers who were drafted barely out of their teens and didn't know what they were getting themselves into were treated so harshly for serving their country.

While I love a good soap opera, the plotlines involving Frankie's relationships and romances sometimes seemed implausible, rocky, and ridiculous. Could she ever find someone who respected her and put her first? I found myself saddened and then groaning over the preposterous storylines. Believe me, they were intriguing and heart-rending but silly, too.

I appreciate how much time the author devoted in this book to the real ravages of war and the aftermath of it. So much research and thought went into this book. Apparently, this story resided in the author's heart since 1997! She felt that she wasn't mature enough or strong enough as a writer at that time to conquer this original and necessary topic. I'm still so shocked at the lack of recognition and support for women during the Vietnam war. It's worth reading if you can handle the sometimes challenging and harrowing scenes in the book.

This is not my normal genre but I really enjoyed The Women. I did a combo of kindle and audio and I really loved the audio. I enjoyed everyone's stories and just how badass these ladies were. I couldn't believe how the country treated them after all they'd sacrificed. This was just a really good story. So, if you love historical fiction and even if you don't, I definitely recommend this book!

I know by now that Kristin Hannah is going to make me cry. That I'll spend the pages waiting to be kicked in the stomach and fearing when something good happens to the characters. But I will ALWAYS read them. Hannah is such a good writer. This book hit me particularly hard as I lost family members to the consequences of serving in Vietnam. Painful and wonderful book

A moving story of historical fiction, which is not my usual genre. This story however, had me engaged and captivated by its detail. I felt like I was over I. Vietnam, experiencing everything also.

Kristin Hannah delivers another well executed novel that is a great mix of fiction and nonfiction. A definite must read, for anyone. Even if you don’t like historical fiction, give it a shot. It was a quick, engaging book.

It's easy to say "Kristin Hannah" has done it again. I don't hesitate to recommend her books for anyone looking for historical fiction and with "The Women" she's added another era.

This was a well done historical fiction by Kristin Hannah. I appreciated her ability to have me care about the characters and portray the critical importance of female friendships. This book certainly opened my eyes to the women who served in the Vietnam war.

I went back and forth between the audio version and kindle ebook. 4.5 stars

Kristin's books are always phenomenal! They make you laugh and cry, all while teaching you about part of history the reader never got to personally experience. Somehow I think The Women is her best book yet (unbelievable, right?!). I've been recommending it to everyone I know and just "re-read" it myself over audio. The audiobook is amazing too, the best narrator. I highly recommend to everyone!

Kristin Hannah does it again. This book was heartbreaking, eye opening, and beautiful. I was so invested in the story and couldn’t put it down. It will definitely be one of my favorites of the year.

I have read every novel that Kristin Hannah was written and loved each and every one. This one was so hard as this war I could relate to. My husband went to Viet Nam. He was 12 years older than me so he shared some stories but not many, It was a emotional time that left so many scarred. Beautiful writing and the descriptions helped you to imagine the time and background. Thank you for writing of a time that was hard and making it assessable to the public.

Such an emotional story and brilliantly told. You really feel Frankie’s pain. Frankie is a young woman who wants to be a hero so she enlists as a Vietnam nurse. She witnesses unimaginable horrors of war and creates beautiful bonds with her fellow nurses. She returns to the United States to misunderstanding and judgement not only from other Americans but especially her parents. This book was tough to read but at the same time I could hardly put it down.

Another winner from Hannah. Makes me want to read some non-fiction accounts of women who served in Vietnam.

Amazing story about the forgotten women who served in Vietnam. People didn’t believe there were women serving in combat areas. Recalls the war protests, veterans being treated like “baby killers”, campus protests that turned violent, and riots led by the Black Panthers. Frankie lost her brother to the war and now she is fighting to stay sane in a confusing world.

Really enjoyed reading about the perspectives of women in Viet Nam during the war, definitely not one I had considered or previously read about. I've read my fair share of books based on the war, mostly because of how much the war directly impacted my family. The Women was a bit middle-of-the-road as far as Viet Nam War historical fiction. Though I appreciated Hannah's research and detail into aspects of the war and returning veterans, the romance really fell flat for me and I was honestly rolling my eyes a lot.

The Women by Kristin Hannah is a historical fiction novel set during the Vietnam war. We meet Frankie McGrath, a young, idealistic nurse who enlists in the Army in 1965. The story is told in two parts. The first part tells of Frankie’s experiences in Vietnam, caring for the injured and dying soldiers. The second part continues the story after Frankie is discharged and goes back home to California.
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The story focuses on the horror of the war and its aftermath through the eyes of the nurses who served in Vietnam. It is a compelling yet difficult read. The main character goes through traumatic events, especially when she comes home from her service in Vietnam. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my NetGalley ARC.

Kristin Hannah, renowned for her bestselling works of historical fiction, delivers a powerful chronicle in her latest sweeping epic 'The Women.' Set in the tumultuous 1960s, the novel immerses readers in the harrowing experiences of three nurses on the front lines of the Vietnam War, as they endure devastating loss and struggle to cope with returning home to a society that neither honors nor respects them.
Hannah, beloved for her masterful storytelling and vividly drawn characters, has delivered another triumph certain to rank among her finest works. Frankie McGrath stands among her most memorable characters. “The Women “cements Hannah’s place as one of the most popular novelists of our time.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, & Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

Review: One of my favorite authors, Kristin Hannah continues to prove that she has an unbelievable way with words. It's unbelievable how quickly she sucks you into a novel and makes you care so much about all of the characters. There are parts of her books (especially her more recent ones) that are a bit melodramatic and require a bit of suspended disbelief, but to be honest I don't know that it bothers me so much.

While there is a bit of heightened drama on the interpersonal side, the research and care that Hannah provides to the historical aspects of her novels is top tier and so welcomed. I feel like I learned a ton about the Vietnam War that I was not aware of before (mostly the women's experience of it), and I was very grateful for this book so that I could do more of my own research.

I did really enjoy the characters in this novel, even when they're making the most piss poor decisions - but my favorite part of the novels, and pretty much all of Hannah's novels, is the way she writes relationships between women. I do think this book is her penultimate example of that, and the relationships between the Frankie and her two best friends will stick with me for a long time.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★ / 4.63

Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★

★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it

I thought that the first half of The Women was better than the second, and I had a hard time getting into this book altogether. It felt very long and though it was well written, it felt a bit tedious. I'm fairly certain that this is just a reflection of my current mood and book slump, however, so I'm trying not to blame the book too much here!

This book is perfect for a Book Club. The second I finished it, I wanted to know who had read it, so that we could discuss.. Kristin Hannah is an amazing writer. Every one of her books, I get sucked into and The Women was not an exception. I cried, I was angry on the character's behalf, I laughed, it was a rollercoaster of emotions. Most importantly I think it made me look into the real historical events that took place with women who went to the Vietnam war. It feels very parallel to some of the events going on in the world today, so I would encourage everyone to read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.